Titans Zero: Russian Roulette
by spystory007
Summary: Full Summary Inside. Read Titans Zero First! Rated R for Violence, Language, and a few Sexual Situations. RaexOC BBxOC Quick Summary: Spies & Teen Titans Vs. Arms Dealer Vs. Russian Mafia. ON HOLD INDEFINATELY
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans nor do I own the Russian Mob. But I do, however, own John Garret, Dan Holiday, Sarah Ashwood, and Mason Thorn.

Summary: It has been three long and peaceful months since the incident in Columbia. Three months without any news of Mason Thorn nor his location, and the Titans and Unit Zero are beginning to enjoy their vacation away from chasing him down. But the peace is shattered after Mason brutally murders several members of the underworld of Eastern Europe and assumes control of their empires, as a result his former allies in the Russian Mob begin to turn against him out of fear that they might be next. With an all out gang war between Mason Thorn and the Russian Mafia brewing, the Titans and Unit Zero must intervene and bring down both organizations. But can this be done, or are they just playing a destructive game of Russian Roulette?

* * *

Prologue

The Titans sent Plasmus reeling. Robin shouted his usual battle cry of: "Titans Go!" and Cyborg gave his usual "Boo-yeah!" as he sent a sonic blast that tore through Plasmus's body with the greatest of ease. But that damage looked insignificant compared to a barrage of star bolts from Jump City's favorite chipper alien girl.

Plasmus was sent stumbling back and, after it had re-generated himself, the monster only had enough time to roar out in frustration before a green bull crashed through it's body and sent bits and pieces of Plasmus goo all over the place. But, once again, the creature reformed itself and the Titans launched another devastating assault. Everyone was hitting Plasmus with everything they had, except for Raven that is…

Raven's head wasn't in the battle. It had been three months since their adventure in Bogotá. And just as John's arm finally healed fully, he had been called away to fight somewhere. He didn't want to leave her, but he had too, all he said was that it was important and that his bosses were really putting preassure on him to go and…

She was cut off in mid thought by a: "Raven! Heads up!"

Before she knew what was happening she was hit full force by a sudden blast of Plasmus goo. She landed with a thud onto the hard concrete of the road in downtown Jump but wasn't harmed, but was grossed out at being covered in goo.

"Alright," She said, "I've had enough of this." She crossed her legs and floated a few feet in the air, too bad Plasmus hadn't learned from last time. She chanted her mantra and flying forth from her was a black incarnation of her, her _soul self_.

Raven's soul self flew right at Plasmus and the stupid creature only succeeded in taking a swing at the spirit before it flew right threw its gooey arm and into the creature's very center. It froze for a moment, but that moment quickly ended as Plasmus suddenly spasmed in pain and began to screech out in a horrible scream before it exploded goo all over the place. Really gross.

All that lay there now was a single bald headed, and mostly nude, human being who looked like he was in a happy and peaceful sleep. Raven stood over the human remains of Plasmus and flicked some goo off of her cloak and brushed it away from the rest of her and said in a monotone, "Don't mess up my cloak."

"Nice work Raven." Robin complemented as he stood next to her and watched as the local police, worthless as they were, scurry out from where they had been hiding to pick up the now unconscious Plasmus.

"Can we just go home now?" was all she groaned out.

When the Titans returned home it was business as usual, with one slight difference. After everything that had happened in Columbia the Titans had decided to let the members of Unit Zero stay with them, which really wasn't that bad considering. Having their new friends being their new room mates added some more spice into the Titans' life. But with both John and Dan away on a mission, that just left Sarah to stay behind with the Titans.

She felt a little bad that she wasn't allowed to go with Dan and John on their mission but that quickly passed with the more and more time she spent with her dear Beast Boy. Ever since Columbia the two were inseparable, and sickeningly cute together.

Even as the Titans returned to the Tower's large living room, Sarah had been waiting for their return and immediately threw her arms around her love. The others had become accustomed to this sight an so they passed it without a second notice or thought. Cyborg and Robin played their video games and Starfire cheered them on and Raven walked to her room. She couldn't stand to be in the same room with Beast Boy and Sarah when they were together.

She closed the door to her room behind her, threw off her cape, and fell onto her bed. It wasn't fair, Beast Boy and Sarah were together and happy. They were spurting out their loving and caring emotions on a regular basis and where was Raven and John? John was off playing soldier somewhere and Raven was daydreaming. Pathetic.

Why did he leave without inviting the Titans too? He said it was something he and Dan could handle on their own, but she wished she was with him now, at some far off place. She pulled herself from another day dream and rubbed her eyes, how can one person think so much about another?

But still, she couldn't help but wonder, was he thinking of her now?

* * *

It was hot, even though the leaves from the trees blocked out most of the sun it was still as hot as Hell. John kept himself pressed against the grass, the target area was only a mile away, guards were crawling all over, and he could make out the concrete building in the center of the other wise tent filled encampment that was holding the hostages he had been assigned to take back. It was dangerous, and yet, he couldn't stop think of a pale girl with beautiful eyes.

That was bad, it was almost killing time and he needed to get his head in the game, if he didn't he'd wind up dead. But he still couldn't stop thinking of her.

"Here comes a patrol now." Whispered what appeared to be a pile of leaves and grass, but was in truth his right hand man Dan Holiday. Dan was, like John was now, wearing a special disguise made for US Army snipers that helped to make the two blend in with the tall grass and hilly terrain.

John kept himself pressed against the ground as he quickly spotted the approaching two man patrol. They needed to go down quick and quietly, without any alarms or else the whole mission was botched.

Sounded easy enough.

"Alright," John finally whispered back, "I'll take the one on the right and you can take the one on the left."

The two camouflaged soldiers slowly began to move away from each other, putting some distance between the two and keeping each closer to their assigned targets. They waited until both were in the right place, then they sprang their trap with great speed.

John rose up first getting one of the men in a sleeper hold, wrapping his arm around the soldier's neck and applying more and more pressure until the man slowly stopped struggling and slipped into deep unconsciousness.

The second soldier, now incredibly alarmed at seeing his friend being attacked by some _thing_ in a green cloak, raised his AK-47 at the John and was about to pull the trigger. Unfortunately for the soldier, he never noticed the rising green cloaked phantom that stood behind him. With great speed Dan shoved his KA-BAR combat knife into the neck of the soldier, cutting right through the tough spinal cord as it made it's way to the brain stem. The soldier was dead in an instant and his brain never had the chance to give his finger the order to pull the trigger.

John and Dan stashed the bodies in the deep jungle foliage, hopefully no further patrols would notice them. With the bodies stashed, John and Dan made their way into the jungle encampment. It was simple, sneak past the guards into the main building, incapacitate the hostage takers, free the hostages, and then make their way to the rooftop for extraction.

They hurried into the outer limits of the camp, it was getting dark already and raining slightly, so with the help of their green camo cloaks and some light foot steps, it would be easy to sneak past these guys. The got past the first tent and guard patrol with ease, the next they had to wait for a guard to turn his back as he stood in the doorway of his tent before they could pass, the final section of the encampment there were only a few tents that were filled with other soldiers but no patrols. No one saw John and Dan creep by and close to the ground.

They were finally at the center of the camp, right outside the central (and only real) building in the camp. The doorway was unsurprisingly doorless and they crept inside the building, they discarded their cloaks with a super-hero-esque _whoosh _and revealed the grey tactical clothing they wore beneath that was the same color as the concrete and would hopefully make them harder to spot.

Satellite imagery said that most of the building was unoccupied accept for one room on the first floor, most likely where the hostages were. John and Dan silently crept down the hallways with their silenced pistols drawn, and pressed themselves to the wall on both sides of a single door that led to just one room. John gave Dan the signal to cover him as he slid a fiber optic cable underneath the door and saw five hostages, two women two men and a child, and three well armed tangos.

Bingo. Unit Zero had just found their hostages.

John put the cable back to whence it had come and signaled to Dan everything he had seen. "Three tangos, two men, two women, one kid."

Dan nodded in understanding and braced himself to burst through the door but looked back to see that John was still signaling at him.

"I'll take the two on the right and you take the one on the left." He signaled (rough interpretation).

Dan nodded again and was about to go through the door when he saw that John was still signaling.

He signaled something along the lines of, "Don't fuck this up."

Dan signaled back by giving his leader The Bird.

John rolled his eyes and produced his KA-BAR combat knife and held it in his left hand while he held his silenced Five Seven in his right, he nodded at Dan as a signal that he was OK.

Dan signaled with his fingers, "Three, Two, One."

Dan then kicked through the door and both young men rushed through. John stuck his knife into the very heart of the soldier who stood directly to the left of the door and shot the other soldier in the head before he could react. Dan made quick work of the other one by shooting him twice in the chest. Seeing that the barren room was clear, John pulled his knife from the soldier and allowed his lifeless form to fall to the ground as he made his way to the hostages to free them.

They were bound and gagged, all of them, and had no idea what was going on. John whispered into their ear that he worked for the Navy SEALS, an obvious lie but what the hell, and told them to stay calm as he cut away at the rope that bound their hands behind their backs.

Dan scooped up a AK-47 and waited by the door just in case any enemy soldier had bad enough luck to walk down that hallway and notice that the door was kicked down. John finished freeing the last of the hostages and removed their blindfolds, except for the kid, he didn't want him to have to see the bodies.

Alright, the hostages were safe and sound, now all that they needed to do was get them to the rooftop for extraction. It was a dangerous and ballsy move but it was Hell of a lot better than trying to sneak them out of the camp.

"Alright Dan," John said quietly to his comrade, "it's about time we…"

"Intruders in the building," someone said. The man Dan had shot wasn't dead, and now he was radioing to all his little buddies who were camped out outside in a foreign language that John and Dan barely understood. "Intruders in the…"

Dan shut him up quickly with a single blast from the AK-47 he had scooped up.

"Christ." John sighed, the heat was on now. He pressed a single finger against the ear piece in his ear and said into the radio channel both he and Dan were connected to, "Command this is Alpha One, we have the hostages but the enemy is on a red alert. Double time that extraction now!"

"Roger that Alpha One." A voice said in his earpiece, "Chopper is in bound. ETA five minutes."

"Did he just say five minutes?" Dan asked, "Those dirty sons of bitches are gonna have us swarmed in two!"

"I know that." John said as he gave him a look, almost forgetting about the hostages for a moment.

"Hey," Dan said to his defense, "I shot him twice in the chest I thought he was dead."

"Whatever," a very irritated John spat, "could you just please get these people to the roof?"

"And what, pray tell, are you gonna do?" Dan asked.

"Cover our asses." Was all John said, "Now move soldier."

"You got it boss." Dan replied as he helped the people out of the room and up the stairs towards the roof.

John shook his head as he holstered his Five Seven and his knife as he scooped up his own AK-47 from two of the fallen soldiers and withdrew from a pack attached to his belt several Claymore explosives. He exhaled a breath as he set up the first one near the entrance and activated the laser trip wire.

"All I wanted was a nice week with my girl," he muttered as he moved away from the buildings entrance due to the fact that the sound of foreign orders and footsteps were getting louder. "Was that so much to ask for from Uncle Sam? Just one God damn week?!"

A bullet whizzed by his head as he placed another claymore and activated the laser trip wire. The tangos were getting closer and already firing at him from the windows. John made his way to the staircase and left another activated claymore at the base of the stairs and another at the entrance to the roof.

John made his way and crouched next to Dan on the roof top. Tactically speaking, their current position was horrible, but do-able. For one there was no cover, no walls, no boxes, nothing; so John and Dan had to put two hostages behind each other so they had use themselves as human shields to protect the hostages. John and Dan were wearing Kevlar, the hostages weren't.

But on the plus side, although they were out numbered, their enemies would have to make their way through a narrow opening in order to get to the roof.

Making their opponents like lambs to the slaughter.

BAM! The first claymore had been detonated, that would by them some time.

"Sorry." Dan said to his partner, "I'll shoot the bastards in the head next time."

"Don't worry about it." John replied, "If we die, we die; if we live, then oo-fucking-ra!"

"Yeah," Dan agreed, "But you got someone waiting for you back home. Be a bit more a tragedy if you go because of me, right?"

John looked at his friend oddly. It was hardly a time to be talking like that, none of it seemed like something Dan would say anyway. "You sure you quit drinking?"

BAM! The second claymore was gone. They were getting closer, John could almost hear their war cries. But his mind once again drifted back to a quiet girl waiting for him back home.

BAM! The third claymore detonated near the entrance of the staircase to the roof. Smoke and dust and a bit of blood went everywhere from the explosion, that was more than enough to pull John out of his day dream and back into the game.

The first of them made their way out onto the roof coughing, they had no idea what was coming next. They raised their guns but were quickly gunned down by John and Dan's accurate shooting.

They used quick controlled bursts whenever they had a shot, the rest of the time they focused more on warning shots to keep their enemies at bay. They didn't want to kill every last one of the bastards, just keep them away long enough for the chopper to get there.

Dan took a hit in the chest and stumbled back a little, he was coughing and wheezing. John would have checked up on his friend but he knew that the vest had caught the bullet and only the wind was knocked out of him.

Alternatively, if it hadn't caught the bullet than Dan would be dead, not wheezing.

And then, like an answer to their prayers, the helicopter arrived. It hovered a little over head for a while, and then gently landed on the roof. The rear of the army transport chopper opened up as several US Marines unloaded from the back, all of whom were carrying M4's.

The Marines laid down covering fire onto the doorway as John and Dan helped the hostages onto the chopper first then they hopped in, then finally the Marines. Even as the helicopter took off and began fly away, the Marines didn't stop firing until they believed that they were well beyond danger.

Dan doubled over in pain and exhaled a pain filled breath.

"You alright?" John asked just in case.

"Fuck you. I don't need your pity." Dan replied. It was his own way of saying: 'I'm okay pal.'

John closed his eyes and rested his head against the safe and secure interior wall of the helicopter and he allowed his mind to drift and wander back to where it was headed before. A certain Raven danced in his head. And he could only hope she was thinking of him as badly as he was thinking of her.

Oh well, it didn't matter. He was on his way back home.

* * *

Review soon. I will be including super villains soon so let me know which ones you wish to see, call it 'last call'. Next chapter, Mason establishes his violent foot hold in Eastern Europe. 


	2. Dark Night

Here we go, chapter 2. If you don't like vigilante justice then don't read this chapter. Oh and thank you Jon Sweet for correcting me, I'll try to keep more mistakes to a minimal. Anyway, here's the chapter so, enjoy.

* * *

He stood in the deep dark of the night, basking in the silver radiance of the full moon as it peeked itself out from behind the dark covers of night clouds. The night, he held so many similarities to it; even through the way he dressed. His pale skin reflected the silver of the moon, this would have given him an almost glowing aura, if it wasn't for the dark suit he was wearing that seemed to absorb and distinguish all light from him and replace it with a seeming unending darkness.

The waves gently lapped against the large boat as he now stood on deck and he kept his face towards the moon, and tilted up so he could devour the moon's strange light of darkness. His eyes were closed, almost as if he was in a deep form of meditation, as he thought back to the others who had come before. He remembered his first, his 'father' as normal humans would have called him, and he remembered the look on his face as he dropped the lighter on to his kerosene soaked body…

He found that particular memory to be the most soothing of the punishments of the past. So many who had crossed the line without reason nor repentance, so many who had done that correct evil deed that served to tickle the Thing within him. Now, Mason Thorn stood, and the Thing whispered into his ear gently to deliver more punishment.

"What a lovely night," Mason spoke to those who stood behind him on the boat's deck, "wouldn't you all agree?"

He turned to face his guests, they didn't really say all that much, the gags kept them from talking and the chains kept them from trying to leave his presence.

"Really?" Mason said, false shock played across his face as he continued his one sided conversation with his guests/hostages. "I find nothing more calming in the world than just watching the moon over the Black Sea."

The Black Sea, that was where they were after all. It had been a great pain to gather all these men from so many different countries and assemble them all here on this boat without any troubles. Kidnappings are always difficult, but such long range transportations were almost impossible. But he felt bringing them all here onto his boat in the Black Sea would add a bit more sentimentalism into what he was doing. Many of them used the Black Sea to transport their 'stock' after all.

The 'stock' were human beings, and Mason's 'guests' were slave traders. The slavers were positioned carefully on the deck, one in each corner with the fifth and final slaver occupying the middle. It gave a nice look as if the slaver in the center was being watched from all sides. The slaver in the center was named Enric, and he was a true criminal.

"Three months," Mason said coldly as he stood before Enric and looked into the man's eyes, "that's how long a time I spent in the company of each and everyone of you. A grand total of three months, and not a day in those three months did I consider cutting things short and just killing you while you slept Enric."

Enric didn't reply, the gag still got in the way of such things as speaking.

Mason breathed in deeply through his nose before he walked around the deck looking at each slaver as he spoke, "You're all probably wondering 'why me?' right about now. And the answer is truly quite simple; you have what something I want." He looked one of the five slavers, a woman, in the face and read the fear on it before he continued, "Each of you run a powerful crime syndicate in your native countries, and I want them. It's that simple. But you see here's my little conundrum:"

He paused as he was back at where he started and viewed each of them with a deep intensity that none of the slavers had ever seen before in a man, maybe in a demon, but not a man.

"I really don't like any of you. In fact, right now, I'm considering killing each and every single one of you simply because I hate you. Yes, I _want_ to kill you but I don't _have_ to."

He let his words sink in and he could almost feel the hope flash across their faces, some of them might be leaving this place alive after all.

"I only want your organizations which I can gain through one of two ways: the first is I kill you and buy out your organization from whomever inherits it, or you can just surrender yourselves to me now and you get to walk away from this, all of you…"

Mason stood before the man named Enric again, "Except for you Enric. You and me are going to have a little chat in regards to business ethics."

Enric was stills silent.

"Ah yes," Mason said as he laughed at himself, "forgive me for my forgetfulness I forgot."

Mason grabbed hold of the duct tape and quickly and painfully ripped it from Enric's face and forcibly removed the large cotton ball that had been gagging the man the whole time.

Enric coughed a little. But once he regained his composure, he did what any man in his position would have done, he screamed. "HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY!"

Mason silenced him with a quick punch into the man's stomach. Enric doubled over in pain as Mason looked down at him and said, "Do that again and I'll cut out your tongue." He shrugged his shoulders and laughed a bit before finishing. "No one is going to hear you anyway Enric, I've bought off the right people."

Mason casually reached into his jacket pocket and produced a switchblade. He flicked out the metal knife and allowed the well polished steel to glint in the moon light. The knife caught Enric's attention rather quickly as he stood back up right and asked, "What do you want Mason?"

"The same thing I wanted from Ramon back in Columbia." Mason replied. Mason pointed his knife at the chains that surrounded the heavy set Romanian man and followed it down as the chains continued to crawl from where Enric was tied, to winding line of chain, until it finally came to a stop as Enric's eyes widened. The chains that kept Enric bound were also tied to a very heavy anchor that just happened to be right next to the edge of the end of the boat.

"I'll pay you anything you want," Enric said, "name it and it's yours."

"Anything I want?" Mason echoed, "Well that is tempting, requires a bit of thought…"

"You said you wanted my organization, well then take it! It's yours!"

"No. you see, I've already bought off your second in command so I already own your organization." Mason explained, "That is once you're dead of course."

Enric began to swear profusely now. "Come on there must be something you want Mason. Please tell me. Please!"

Mason smiled a monster's smile; he was getting underneath this man's skin. Good.

"Like I said before, all I want is a nice little chat. Just you and me Enric. For instance, let's talk about these."

Mason reached into his jacket with his free hand and produced a series of photographs. The first was of a beautiful young woman. Mason had seen the story about her in the newspaper back in Romania, seeing her story reminded him of his mother a little. It also caused the Thing to tremble and stir.

"Recognize her Enric?" Mason asked. Enric's eyes widened a little bit more, he knew who she was but he wasn't going to say her name. "Her name is, was, Lavinia. You tricked her into the slave trade after you promised her a better job so she could support her kids. But then you just had your boys gang rape her and beat her when she didn't do what she was told. Now she's dead and her children are in an orphanage."

Enric swallowed hard, "But… But…" He staggered out pathetically, oh well, at least he wasn't making up some excuse for his crime.

Mason flipped to several new smaller pictures like the ones you would find from a school photo day, because that's where they came from. They were several pictures of six little children, three boys and three girls.

"Do you recognize all of these?" Mason asked, his usual calm persona beginning to crack beneath the weight of his own buried and hidden fury. "Do you?!"

Enric's eyes widened.

"I know what you are Enric. And I must say, I am very unhappy to know it." Mason hissed. Mason had known Enric for quite some time now, but he would have never guessed until he saw the evidence with his own eyes that his former business contact was a violent pedophile.

Mason hated the thought of rape. All that screaming and all that crying, all those human emotions emanating from one person it was sickening and it made the Thing wail in protest simply at the thought of it. But to do _that_… and to a child no less! It was a thought Mason would not tolerate, and as to it actually happening… Well, let's just say you should pity the one that does something Mason dislikes.

"Say their names." Mason ordered without looking at Enric, "All of them."

Enric said nothing; he didn't know their names, because he didn't care. Those children were disposable pleasures to him.

He could see their little faces, twisted in fear and pain and agony. Their screams echoing into the night, but no one to rescue them, no one to avenge them. Their faces, their screams, their cries, for three months that was all Mason could think of as stayed with Enric and the others, now it was time to avenge those children.

Mason's facade finally broke apart as he twirled back to face Enric and drove his fist into Enric's nose. Mason heard the familiar snapping of nose cartilage as Enric's nose broke and he fell backwards, but that was just the beginning. For what he'd done, Mason had something very special planned.

Mason walked over to the man and shouted, "SAY THEIR NAMES!"

Enric coughed and wheezed and bled onto the deck of the boat. Wrong response.

Mason clenched his teeth in fury as he grabbed the bound man by his collar, hoisted him up a little, and then repeatedly drove the hilt of his switch blade into the child rapist's head. "SAY THEIR NAMES!"

"I don't remember!" Enric shouted, hoping to earn Mason's mercy. An impossible task, Mason had no mercy for the likes of him.

Mason then used his blade properly. He brought it down onto Enric's face and he cut up the man, disfiguring him, turning him into the monster he refused to accept himself as. Transforming him into what he truly was, it is, and after all, what is on the inside that matters most.

Mason forced Enric to stand up, but he just crumpled down onto his knees. Oh well, it would work for Mason. Mason grabbed a tuft of Enric's thinning hair and forced him to look at the horizon of the Black Sea and said, "See anything familiar?"

Enric just sat there and continued to bleed.

"Come on Enric," Mason hissed, "I left at least one eye still functioning in that wretched head of yours now look!"

It all slowly came to Enric as he whispered in fearful recognition, "No."

"Yes."

"But. No, no. NO!" Enric cried hysterically.

"Yes Enric," Mason said, "this should look familiar. Because this is the exact spot where you would have your men dump the bodies of the victims of your crimes. There's a graveyard down there Enric, populated mostly by children. CHILDREN!"

"No! Mason please!" Enric begged as Mason let go of him and walked over to where the anchor lay near the edge of the ship.

"Say hello to your victims for me Enric!" Mason exclaimed as he used his foot to push the anchor over the rail less edge of the stern of the ship. It went over and splashed into the dark waters and pulled the chains along with it. Enric screamed out in terror one last time before he was yanked viciously from where he knelt and was pulled screaming into the dark crushing oblivion of the sea water, to spend an eternity amongst the lives he destroyed.

Mason breathed in and out quickly and shallowly. He slowly began to regain control of his breathing as he tilted his head back and closed his eyes in triumph; it was always sweet whenever a well deserved punishment was served.

Mason's eyes shot open as he turned to the other four remaining slavers and asked, "Anyone else care to cross me?"

They shook their heads; no one wanted to be joining Enric where he was now.

"Good." Mason said, "Then know this, I will give you twenty four hours after I release you to pack up your shit and get out of Europe. Go away and never come back. And I swear to God that if I ever and I mean ever, hear about any of you getting back into the game… I will track you down and decorate your homes with your own organs."

Mason yelled to one of his men who had been on the other side of the ship, waiting for his boss to get whatever was bothering him out of his system. He stood where Enric once stood, avoiding the blood of course, and stood at attention.

"Take our guests down into the cargo hold as we make our way back to land." Mason ordered.

The mercenary did as he was told and corralled the slavers into the cargo hold of the boat beneath the deck; all but one of them went along. The last slaver Mason grabbed by the arm and forced against the railing of the side of the deck. Mason undid the slaver's chains around his hands and Mason's own hands moved into his pocket…

The slaver cowered in fear that Mason was going to punish him too but his fears were quickly put to rest as Mason produced a deed.

"The deed to the club you own Mr. Paulker," Mason said as he also produced a pen, "it seems you are currently considering handing it over to me."

The slaver trembled as he signed the deed and, with Mason now happy, followed the others down in the cargo hold.

Mason exhaled a breath as he whipped some of Enric's blood off of himself. His rage told him that he should have just killed the other slavers, but the Thing was content with just Enric. Should he have taken care of the others as well? Oh well, it didn't matter now.

Mason stared out into the horizon, he had just taken five of the most powerful players in Eastern Europe's underworld out of play. And now he, Mason Thorn, was the major player of that said underworld with not to mention a new night club to act as his temporary head quarters.

He now had the power. And now that the proper punishment had been delivered, it was a time for peace, and with peace comes business.

Time to get rich.

He looked down as the last bubbles from the late Enric came to the surface of the Black Sea's waters.

"Fucking amateur." He spat, "You fuck with kids and mothers, and then you're fucking with me."

* * *

Review soon please! Oh and I'm considering, through the suggestion of someone else on this site, to start a prequel Fic just for Mason on let me know what you think. Next chapter, It's a happy day in Jump City as John and Dan return home, and !surprise! it's John's birthday! Will he get a special surprise present from Raven? Tune in next time to see. 


	3. Birthday Part 1 Black Velvet Bands

Here's chapter three, and as punishment for only giving me one review I expanded this into a two parter. And, as you've requested Lord Halo, I've had Dan and Beast Boy sing a Irish drinking song titled: "Black Velvet Bands". The second part will have another Irish song and it will be very heavy on the JohnxRaven. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

It was going to be a good day at Titan's Tower, right from when it started every one there knew it was a good day. The sun rose as it should've, bright with it's long illuminating tendrils of sunlight that destroyed the night before. The sky was a perfect ocean blue, no clouds in sight. Everyone rose up without complaint and when breakfast came there wasn't even the classic 'Tofu vs. Meat' debate.

And, to top it all off, John and Dan were finally coming home.

"When are our friends returning from far far away again friend Sarah?" Starfire asked for the fiftieth time. Starfire paced the floor, eager to see her friends again. "It pains me so that they left to go on a mission without us!"

"Shouldn't be much longer Star, they said they'd be arriving early." Sarah said as she sat on the couch and watched as Beast Boy and Cyborg went head to head in a racing game. "Ooo Ooo. Beast Boy turn left!" she advised with fervor as Beast Boy furiously clicked buttons in an attempt to best his metallic friend. "And yes, Star, I know how bad it sucks that they left without us but they'll be here soon."

"What was John's great reason for going on that mission without us again?" Robin asked, slightly annoyed that a friend of the Titans, who had called on their help twice before, was giving them the cold shoulder.

"He said it was a routine hostage situation." Sarah said in between cheers for Beast Boy's victory. "He said he didn't want to waste your time on something that didn't need your attention or his and he didn't want me to go because I was still technically on psyche leave and… SIDESWIPE HIS ASS BEAST BOY!"

Beast Boy's virtual car smashed into the side of Cyborg's and sent it off the road, leaving Beast Boy with a clear and uncontested victory. The words: FINISH flashed on the screen as Beast Boy's car passed the finish line and Sarah jumped on him and hugged him for his triumph.

Raven looked up from the book she was reading to see those two again. Beast Boy had been tortured and Sarah put into deep shock because of one man, but it had only taken a short time for the two to recover and be back into each others arms. Love really did work wonders.

Cyborg dropped the controller in defeat and said, "Man, his aint fair. Whenever that girl is around BB suddenly becomes the luckiest man on the face of the earth."

"Maybe we should've brought her with us on the trip." Somebody said behind them as he stepped into the living room. Two someone's to be exact.

Everyone turned their way and they saw none other than John and Dan.

The Titans immediately rushed the two returned soldiers. John stayed right where he was and conversed with his friends. He told them how long the flight was and how his neck was killing him, and how glad he was to be back.

Dan, on the other hand, sad hello and then walked right past them and plopped himself down onto the sofa saying with longing in his voice, "Oh sweet, sweet divinely comfy couch." He exhaled happily as he sank in to the cushions.

"Sorry we were gone so long," John apologized as he dropped his luggage on top of the table in the kitchen. "Complete waste of time and our talent too, just another whacked out group of guerrillas holding a few tourists hostage. Complete waste of our skills, AINT THAT RIGHT DAN?!"

Dan half groaned and half snored an "Ugh" in agreement.

Raven approached him and the two looked into each others eyes. She remained her grump appearance while he couldn't help but smile a little. Neither spoke, but unbeknownst to the Titans, a lengthy conversation was going on between the two simply by how they looked at each other.

"I'll be right back." John said, his eyes never leaving Raven's. "I have to put my luggage away."

Just as John turned and began to walk away he heard Dan suddenly shout, "Hey John! I just remembered something…"

John stopped where he was and prayed Dan wasn't going to say what he thought he was going to say. "Please, Dan, for the love of God…" he muttered under his breath.

"I left my suitcase by the door," Dan said, "Do you think you could put that in my room for me?"

"Sure thing." John said, a feeling of relief washed over him. _Thank God, for a minute I thought he was going to tell them that it was my…_

"Oh," Dan suddenly continued, "and a Happy Birthday!"

John froze where he was.

"I swear to God I'm going to kill you for this Dan." John muttered as everyone turned their attention to him.

"It's your birthday?" Robin asked.

_Shit, shit, shit. Quick John, think of something to throw them off_. "Yeah," he admitted, "but it's not really all that important and…"

"Nonsense," Starfire exclaimed, "a day of birth should never be ignored."

"Come on man," Cyborg chimed in, "if it's your birthday then we should do something."

_Damn it, they're ganging up on me. _"Look, I don't want to do anything special for my birthday alright, I just want it to be another average day in my life. So please, for the love of God, Don't…"

* * *

"…I've been kidnapped."

It was a nice place really, a good place to spend a birthday at. It was a sports bar, with a pool table, full menu, TV's almost everywhere, everything John could ask for. And yet he still couldn't help but feel a little bit miserable, it was, after all, his birthday.

"Come on," Raven said as they entered the building, even she was beginning to feel a strange combination of annoyance and confusion as to why John was feeling so uneasy about his birthday, "I know I shouldn't be the one to say this, but you really need to loosen up."

Dan's eye was caught by the pool table, "Alright! Who's up for a game?!" he exclaimed as put an arm around John's shoulder, "Me and the birthday boy here can take anyone of you sorry ass 'supers' any day!"

_Who knows? Maybe this year is going to be different?_

John slowly began to loosen up as Cyborg and Robin took up the challenge. He took a glance over to Raven as he said, "Please Raven, rescue me."

Raven couldn't help but smile a little as she watched John get pulled over to the pool table and was forced to break. She could feel that he was uncomfortable with his birthday before, but she was glad to feel him begin to feel more positive emotions: comfort, friendship, happiness. Wonder what made him feel this way about his birthday?

"Losers buy the drinks!" Dan added a second before John shot the ball and broke the triangle of solid and stripped ones.

"Drinks? What drinks?" Robin asked.

"Simple really," Dan explained, "after this game we have a nice round at the bar and the losers have to pay for them."

"Hey, I'm not drinking anything." Robin said, he wasn't somebody who was exactly the biggest fan of alcohol.

"Get a coke or something than." Dan replied, "It's your turn by the way."

"I thought you got off of alcohol after the whole Columbia thing." Cyborg pointed out.

"Oh come on." Dan said in a rather hurt fashion. "It's been three fucking months and I haven't had a drop of the stuff, I think I've earned at least one or two beers. And besides, I'm not doing it to get drunk, I'm doing it to celebrate my best friend's birthday."

"But…"

"Too late," Dan assured, "I said it before the break, hence it is law."

John leaned over to Robin and whispered into his ears, "Three months, imagine what that has done to his tolerance."

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"I mean if you want to see something incredibly entertaining it's Dan getting wasted after a mock-able amount of beer."

Robin and John grinned evilly, "I'll let Cyborg know."

The game was long and fierce and in the end it was down to only the eight ball, whoever hit it into the pocket they called first would win the game. And right now, it was Dan's turn. He lined the stick up, it was almost a total straight shot at the eight ball into the corner pocket, it should be easy.

"Come on Dan." John quietly cheered from behind. "Come on."

"Go Dan!" Sarah whooped, "Woot! Woot!"

Meanwhile the Titans were cheering a different tune along the lines of, "Booo!" and "He's got nothin'! He's got nothin'!" and also the ever popular "DAN SUCKS!"

But Dan kept his eye on the ball, his face as calm and steady as you could expect from a guy who killed bad guys for a living. He pushed and pulled the stick back and forward as he practiced and measured his shot, this was going to be way too easy. He pulled back his stick and was about to shoot the ball when all of the sudden Starfire decided to enter the 'cheering' by shouting something in Tamranean.

It was something that, when translated, involved the words: Head, Stick, and Mother.

Dan, in a matter of mili-seconds, went from determined and straight faced to perplexed and on the verge of laughing. To say the least, he screwed up the shot. His stick veered off course at the last minute and the ball, instead of going straight forward, veered off course and ended up landing right next to the eight ball which was right in front of the corner pocket.

"Oooooooooooooo." Everyone seemed to say at once in disappointment.

"No fair," Dan exclaimed as he pointed his finger at Robin, "your God damn girlfriend made me laugh."

Now it was Robin's turn, he observed the situation. The white ball was right next to the eight ball, making it impossible to get it into the corner pocket. But he quickly calculated the odds and angles needed to see the most likely shot and he quickly made his call.

"Corner Pocket." Robin said with a smile on his face.

"What are you high?" John asked, "that shot is impossible and you know it."

"Not unless I bounce it off the wall in the other direction." Robin explained, extremely sure of himself.

"Okay," Dan chimed in, "you're not high. You're just an over confident JACK ASS!"

Robin immediately tuned them all out as he lined up the shot he needed too. He pulled back and hit the white ball with great and controlled force, sending it flying down the pool table, hitting the other wall of the table, and then bouncing back and heading back to the eight ball with diminished force, and hit the eight ball with a slight tap.

The white ball stopped and the eight ball moved towards the corner pocket and dangled on the edge for a moment.

Silence fell on to the bar for a moment. And then it was replaced by cheering from the Titans as the ball fell into the corner pocket, making Robin and Cyborg the winners.

"No way!" John and Dan shouted, refusing to believe that they had just been beaten by a kid who dressed like a traffic light and wore a mask that was ridiculous.

"Damn it straight to Hell!" Dan shouted as he raised the pool cue up into the air and almost slammed it into the pool table to break it when he stopped himself when he noticed the bar keep giving him the eye that said, 'Don't even try it.'

"I guess you're buying the drinks man." Cyborg said triumphantly.

"You made the rule Dan, it is law now." Robin reminded, rubbing the fact in.

Dan quickly tried to recover, "No, no. I… Uhhh… I call up the 'birthday rule'. Yeah, that's it. The 'birthday rule'. It's John's birthday so we don't have to buy the drinks!"

"Well I invoke the 'Titans Rule'," Robin countered, enjoying seeing Dan squirm.

Dan looked at John who shrugged his shoulders. "What the fuck is that?"

"'Titans Rule'," Robin started to explain, "is WE rule. Hence, what we say is law. Now pay Dan!"

"Damn it all," Dan said in a defeated tone, "FINE! Hey, barkeep! Drinks!"

"What'll you have?" the barkeep asked.

"Well who here is man enough for some drinks?" Dan said, a direct challenge to the Titans.

Most of the Titans ignored him, much to Dan's annoyance, and ordered Cokes. But Beast Boy stood up to his challenge…

Much to Sarah's annoyance.

"Come on BB, not again." Sarah said, cringing from when Beast Boy got drunk with Dan back in Columbia.

"Oh I got to babe, I can't pass this up."

"Ha!" Dan laughed, "A kindred spirit! Barkeep, whiskey!"

"For the love of God Dan please…" John began to beg, he hated how whiskey burned.

"Sorry John, it's tradition. Been doing it whenever there was a special event back in the Project, and back when there was seven of us. Now is no different, so everybody drink when I say go."

John leaned over to Raven, "If I end up making an ass of myself Raven, please kill me."

"No problem." She said, a comment that made John raise an eyebrow. Raven? A sense of humor? Maybe today wasn't going to be so bad.

The barkeep poured three shot glasses of whiskey, the Titans looked on with interest as the three held it up close to their lips and awaited Dan's call.

"Go!"

They threw their heads back and slammed the shots down, quickly swallowing the liquid fire. John and Beast Boy coughed a little, Dan started to laugh out in triumph. It felt so good to have the stuff back.

"Alright one more."

"Please Dan." John begged, he hated it when he got drunk he turned into a total jack ass when that happened.

"You know the rules John, just a few more."

_

* * *

Several Shots Later…_

* * *

"Alright have I met your damnable standards Dan?" John asked, he was beginning to feel the whiskey start to take effect.

_Christ I need to drink more. My tolerance is shit._

"Fine, if you're a PUSSY!" Dan shouted, he was well on the way to smashed-ville.

"Yeah, John." Beast Boy agreed, in the same shape. "Stay, have some fun."

"I think I've had enough fun for one birthday." John said, a reassuring smile on his face. "See you guys back at the Tower."

John turned and left the bar.

"Hmmm." Dan said, "Odd."

"What's 'Hmmm… Odd'?" Raven asked as she saw John walk out.

"The lad doth leave with a smile on his face, odd this be due to him being struck by sorrow's mace." Dan replied cryptically, making a horrible attempt to be poetic.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that John never ever smiles on his birthday, even when he's trying to be charming or friendly. Nothing, not even a damn smirk."

"By the way," Raven started to ask, "why is John so unhappy about today?"

"Simple really." Dan started to explain, the Titans started to listen intently. "You can call it fate, coincidence, or bad luck. But, for some reason, this day for him is like his equivalent of Friday the Thirteenth. Nothing but horrible and bad shit happens to him on this day every year, it never fails. So he usually anticipates the worst on this day, out of habit you see."

"Maybe someone should go talk to our friend." Starfire said as she sat next to Robin at the bar drinking mustard, which really creeped out the barkeep.

"I'll go." Raven volunteered, not caring what her friends would think. "Just to make sure he gets home alright."

"Yeah." Dan agreed. "You should. Who knows? Maybe he'll have bad enough luck to see a nun get hit by a bus or something."

Raven ignored Dan's drunken comment and left the bar.

Dan grimaced a little, he hated it when people ignored him. He poured himself another shot and put it near his lips but did not drink it. He just held the glass there as he suddenly remembered something. And so, as the Titans started talking to each other, leaving Dan with a feeling of lonliness, he did something that seemed very odd.

Dan started to sing.

It was light at first, a hoarse almost whisper of a song. But it was there, and he slowly let the lyrics crawl out from his lips as his friends continued to chat around him:

Her eyes they shone like the diamonds

You'd think she was queen of the land

And her hair hung over her shoulder

Tied up with a black velvet band.

"What is that?" Beast Boy asked after he slammed back another shot, "And when the Hell did you ever sing?"

"A little something I picked up during a job in Dublin."

"Can I join in?"

"Alright, follow me lead."

* * *

John was halfway to the Tower when he stopped dead in his tracks, no one else was about and John was only comforted by the sound of the wind as he had a thought. He reached into his pocket and produced an old photograph from his wallet, it was a fairly large photo and it was more like a postcard to be frank.

John unfolded it and he looked at it with regret. Staring back at him were all fifty of the original Project: Ghost members.

In a neat little town they call Belfast

Apprenticed to trade I was bound

And many an hour's sweet happiness

I spent in that neat little town.

So many had joined, he remembered their faces so clearly. Now, out of fifty, only three remained. Many died in combat, some by their own hands, only seven in the end survived the horrors, the rest went rogue. Eight of the rogues John had to dispatch with his own hand. The uprising was led by an agent named Marcus, and fate had chosen that the uprising and John's unfortunate mission were both to begin on his birthday.

Till bad misfortune came o'er me

That caused me to stray from the land

Far away from my friends and relations

To follow the black velvet band.

He had not heard her approach him, his dark venus. Raven attempted to approach him quietly so as not to disturb whatever train of thought he was in. She reached out with her powers so as to feel what he was feeling, and she felt two: sadness and regret.

The hair on the back of John's neck immediately stood up as something animal in his mind triggered, something wasn't right. He could see someone in the corner of his eyes, a dark figure. Who was it?

It didn't matter, John dropped the photo and produced his knife. He grabbed hold of whomever was shadowing him and slammed that person up against the wall and pressed his knife to their throat. He was immediately horrified and ashamed of himself when he saw it was Raven he was threatening with his blade.

Well, I was out strolling one evening

Not meaning to go very far

When I met with a pretty young damsel

Who was selling her trade in the bar

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry Raven." John immediately apologized. What the Hell was a matter with him? It must have been the alcohol, it always made him anxious and violent, not to mention emotional. "Dear God… Dear God…"

He pulled the knife away, then he looked down at it. With disgust he tossed the weapon away and walked back to the picture and where it lay. He slowly picked it up and dusted off some dust and gravel that had fallen onto it.

When I watched, she took from a customer

And slipped it right into my hand

Then the Watch came and put me in prison

Bad luck to the black velvet band.

"I'm alright John, I really am." She reassured him. She could feel his uneasiness and his pain. "Are you okay?"

. "I don't want to see any bad happen…" He slowly explained, John tried his best to repress the rest of his emotions, but the liquor in his system made that difficult. "You guys are my family, I don't want to see bad happen. Not much to ask for right?"

"Nothing bad will happen John." She said.

"It will!" He shouted suddenly. "It always has! I'm a cursed man, all I see and touch whither and die! You all, my new family, you will be no different."

"You're drunk John."

"No." he disagreed. "I'm just sad… and tired."

There was a silence between the two for a moment.

"Please, take me back to the Tower Raven please."

Raven nodded and immediately the two were encased in dark power and a dark bird flew off into the night towards Titan's Tower.

* * *

"And?" Beast Boy asked, expecting to hear the big finish to the song.

"That's it."

"That's it?" Beast Boy said as he slurred a protest, "That can't be it!"

"That's all I know." Dan admitted, "But I do know a few other songs."

"Do you know a love song?" Starfire asked, intrigued at the Irish songs.

"Ah, I do know one!" Dan said, he cleared his voice and sang a new tune, and slowly the other Titans joined in…

_To Be Continued..._

* * *

Review! I experimented a little on this chapter, so let me know whether it was a success. Also, I've set up an account on under the name DarkAvenger007. I might dedicate some time here and there to a story or two on that sight, but other wise this story is priority one. Next chapter, Raven and John spend some time together (And maybe more wink) while the others have fun at the bar. 


	4. Birthday Part 2 Throughout The Night

Here's the next chapter, it's a little short I know but what the Hell, right? The song used is: 'All Throughout the Night'. I actually thought about including a sex scene in thsi chapter but decided against it as I felt that John and Raven would be moving too quickly, but I'm not sure. Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

"So you wanna hear an Irish love song, eh?" Dan asked, "Alright. Here's one." 

He took one last shot of whiskey to calm his ever twitchy nerves. Inhaled a deep breath, then slowly but surely he began to sing. And the Titans found themselves joining in.

* * *

_Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee_

_All through the night_

_Guardian angels God will send thee_

_All through the night_

John and Raven were teleported directly into John's room. He sat down onto his bed and his eyes never left the photo the entire time. They were all his friends, his countrymen, his brothers and sisters in arms, his family. All dead, all gone.

Raven could sense his emotions, all his grief and frustration. She sat down next to him, only a short distance between the two. This was definitely an awkward thing, she wasn't exactly the best when it came to human emotions, but she did her best to make John feel better.

"It wasn't your fault John." She reassured gently to him. "No matter what you might think, the simple truth is it wasn't your fault."

He rested his head onto her shoulder. He felt so tired, tired of all the fighting and hiding and running. So very, very tired.

_Soft the drowsy hours are creeping_

_Hill and dale in slumber sleeping_

_I my loving vigil keeping_

_All through the night_

He looked into her eyes for a moment and the two held each other's gaze. One entranced by the other. Slowly they moved forward and the two gently kissed. The kiss grew to become more passionate and loving as the two embraced each other tightly. John's mind froze as he couldn't help but think, _A lot of things have happened on my birthday but none like this._

_While the moon her watch is keeping_

_All through the night_

_While the weary world is sleeping_

_All through the night_

Raven pulled herself away from him, she wasn't sure this was a good idea and if she wasn't careful than a harmless kiss could snowball on her into something more, something she herself wasn't sure she wanted.

"Is there something wrong Raven?" John asked, afraid that he had done something to frighten or offend her, "What is it?"

"I can't do this," she said solemnly, "you're drunk John."

"No, I'm not." John said quietly, but he quickly caught on to why she had pulled away in the first place. "But if this is too fast for you, then I understand. I don't want to push you into anything you don't want…"

_O'er thy spirit gently stealing_

_Visions of delight revealing_

_Breathes a pure and holy feeling_

_All through the night_

John put his hands to his eyes as he laid down on the bed. He didn't know what to think, he didn't even know what to feel. He thought Raven had left the room for a moment, and then he felt those fingers of hers run through his hair. He smiled, it was so soothing to him.

There had been no one else like her in his life, no one else who seemed to matter as much at that moment. He opened his eyes and saw that he was staring into his love's gorgeous face. She brushed her lips over his.

"All I want is this moment here." Was all she said.

_Though I roam a minstrel lonely_

_All through the night_

_My true harp shall praise sing only_

_All through the night_

She laid down next to him and rested her head on his chest. Neither did anything, they just laid there, both on his bed. They stared up into the grey and uninteresting ceiling and, despite the fact that neither made a move for the other, they were content with that.

_Love's young dream, alas, is over_

_Yet my strains of love shall hover_

_Near the presence of my lover_

_All through the night_

The laid there together for the longest time, simply enjoying each other's company. If there ever was an example of love that surpassed that of it's physical nature, this moment would have been it. John felt the alcohol taking effect more and more, until eventually his eyes became quite heavy. He didn't want to go to sleep yet, but it snuck up on him and he found himself drifting off with Raven into a deep and peaceful slumber.

_Hark, a solemn bell is ringing_

_Clear through the night_

_Thou, my love, art heavenward winging_

_Home through the night_

_Earthly dust from off thee shaken_

_Soul immortal shalt thou awaken_

_With thy last dim journey taken_

_Home through the night

* * *

_

Dan finished the song and had one last shot of whiskey. The others said nothing, they had sung along until the last part. It was beautiful really, maybe gung-ho Dan really did have a softer side to him.

"What the fuck are you all staring at?" He asked, making up for his previous softer nature with his usual gruff one.

"I just never knew you could sing like that man." Beast Boy said, he himself had already gone through a few more shots.

"Well you know what?" Dan slurred as he had another shot, "I don't need to fucking impress you!"

"Dan we didn't mean any offense. We just…" Starfire started to reason but was stopped by Robin, whom was clearly enjoying the sight of Dan drunk.

"So fuck you guys. I'm out." He said as he hopped off the bar stool, paid for the drinks and walked towards the door. Then he stopped suddenly, and turned to the others. "You know what guys?"

"What Dan?"

"I'm sleepy." And with that he walked over to the pool table and crawled on top, curling into a nice little ball.

"Dan?" Starfire asked as inquisitively as she flew over to where he was but he looked to be asleep.

"Don't even bother Star, he's passed out." Cyborg said, "No point in waking him up now."

"Well you better drag his ass home." The barkeep suddenly said, "Because it's almost closing time and I'm not letting his drunken ass sleep here."

* * *

There you go. Next chapter, we check back in with Mason as he has to deal with political problems with the Russians and an old associate of his arrives on the scene for back up. See ya later! 


	5. The General

Here we go again my friends. And, by request of annonymous, I have introduced The General into the story. I did my best pal, let me know how I did. Enjoy.

* * *

Mason sat behind his polished wooden desk in the dark new office in the top floor of the club he now owned in Bucharest. The office was quite nice actually, it was an inner sanctum suitable for a young man like Mason. It was large too: the desk was at one end of the room a door to the club was in the center of the north wall, there was a couch with a pull out bed at the other end of the room in front of a decent sized television and even a bathroom. Mason could have lived in that office if he chose to. 

That and the fact that it was sound proof helped too. The loud music from the club below was reduced to nothing more than a light and almost inaudible drone instead of the pounding loud music it was back in the club. Also made it so if Mason would ever have any guests like the late Enric over he could 'talk' to them in the safety and comfort of his own office.

But, then again, an unwanted guest was exactly the problem he was having right now. And to add on to the pressure, Mason didn't have the option to simply kill the man. For the guest that awaited Mason in the club below now was none other than legendary and notorious Russian Mob Boss, Leon Krylov, and killing him was absolutely out of the question.

Mason knew all to well why he was being graced by that man's presence, and quite frankly it was disturbing. The reason was politics, pure and simple criminal politics. It was too be expected really, you can't just overthrow several of the major players in Eastern Europe and hope to walk away with it without someone pissing into your ear for it.

Mason laced his fingers together as he thought things through thoroughly. His mind searched for some other alternative, some way to get Leon off of his back. But no, Mason knew how the Russian Mafia operated.

Fucking trash. The just couldn't leave him alone could they?

Mason deep train of through was then suddenly interrupted by a single noise, the sound of hand clapping. Mason looked up and noticed that he wasn't alone in his office anymore, someone was there. Mason noticed the window near his couch was open and he could make out someone standing in the dark corner.

Mason quietly opened up a lower level drawer from his desk where his handy Ruger SR9 lay. He picked it up slowly and gently and laid it down in his lap, thumbing back the hammer.

The figure approached, stepping out of the darkness and into the light as he kept on clapping. The figure was someone Mason hadn't seen in along time.

"Masterful Mason, truly masterful." The figure said as he stood before Mason. He wasn't difficult to recognize, Mohawk, leather jacket, combat boots, the eyes of a mad man, and a childish look to him. "Your plan to conquer this place was most impressive, would've done any other dictator proud."

"Ulysses 'General' Armstrong," Mason said in a monotone. "good to know I impressed somebody."

"I just appreciate an excellent strategy is all Mason." The General replied.

"And I don't appreciate people sneaking into my fucking office."

"Poor defences though, leaving the window unlocked and all." The General continued.

"I needn't fear from you Ulysses," Mason said confidently, "especially considering the fact I need someone of your caliber right about now."

"You sent out the call for brave bloodthirsty warriors Mason, so here I stand." The General said, "And if you really want my help you'll get rid of that gun you have underneath the desk."

Mason laid the pistol down in front of him on top of the desk. A brief silence followed and then Mason cracked a smile as he stood up and shook hands with The General saying, "It's good to see you again Ulysses."

Mason and Ulysses went back a long ways, a mercenary of his skills was always useful. And, even though they weren't 'friends', Mason always preferred using The General's real name anyway. The two were hardly formal anyway. Sure, The General was insane, but he wasn't a go around and blow shit up kind. He was more controlled, disciplined, a soldier. A soldier who will follow orders when there is battle, he was reliable. Mason liked that in his associates.

"I hear you're running into some political trouble with the local gangs." The General said. "Could snowball into a war."

"Oh I do have war troubles," Mason said, "but it isn't from the locals."

"Then who?"

"The Russians."

Amusement and something along the lines of impressed played itself across The General's face. He was already considering what all this meant and what it would take to win any coming battles against them.

"The big boss Russian is waiting for me down stairs." Mason pointed out. "Leon Krylov."

"Then I would recommend you take his head and be done with it. But since you haven't yet I have a feeling you have something else in mind." The General observed.

"Indeed Ulysses." Mason said. "The Russians are threatening war over what I did to their friends here in Eastern Europe. However it isn't war time yet, so I might be able to talk my way out of this."

"And if you don't?" The General asked, pretending not to know the answer.

"Then you, my fine psychotic friend, will have a war were you will be able to conquer and kill to your heart's content." Mason said, he could see The General's face almost light up at that thought. "But, until that happens, I'm going to need you as back up."

"You're Russian friend brought some back up too?" The General asked, "Not surprising…"

"But rude." Mason added as he fixed his suit before he steeped next to the door to the club, "If any of his guys make a move, and you'll know one of his guys when you see him, I want you to move in and kill them. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." The General nodded.

Good to know you have someone watching your back, even if it was a psychotic child who happened to be a military genius.

Mason took a deep breath, time to get into his public character. Once he felt more like his old self again, he exhaled the breath and stepped through the door with The General only a few steps behind him. The two were immediately bombarded by a pulsing beat from the music that was playing in the club as Mason and The General stood on the top of a staircase that lead straight down into the club.

People danced to the absurd music and seemed to crowd most of the club, Mason ignored them as he went right past them and towards the more secluded bar area. The Russians were easy to spot, they were all dressed in expensive suits and had some very conspicuous bulges in their jackets, most likely where they had their guns stashed. Not that it mattered, Mason let the bouncer know not to search these men. It would've been very inhospitable otherwise.

"How's it going Vladis?" Mason asked the bar tender, who slowly nodded his head in recognition of his boss. "Listen, I'm going to be talking to a few friends. If anything happens be sure my guys know to follow this young gentleman's orders." Mason pointed to The General. "Okay?"

The bar tender, Vladis, eyed The General. But soon nodded in understanding.

"And could you please change the music to something quieter, I need to hear myself speak." Mason ordered as gently and politely as possible.

"If things do get interesting, I want you to know that avoiding collateral damage will be impossible." The General pointed out.

"Just be sure to wait till they pull their guns first so we'll have an excuse." Mason reminded, he glanced over to a man sitting further down at the bar who was sipping at a glass of water. "Now if you'll pardon me, I have business to tend to."

Mason moved further down to where the other man was sitting and he sat down next to him, all the time the two never even looked at each other. The other man was dressed in a grey suit, he had pale skin with eyes as grey and cold as his suit and dark slicked back hair. Mason knew all too well who this man was, but he still said his name to make sure.

"Leon Krylov?" Mason asked, never even glancing at the other man.

"Mason Thorn?" The man, Leon, asked back.

"Good to see you again Leon. It's been a while since we last met." Mason said, "If I do recall, our old friend Nikolai was still alive the last time we saw each other."

"Indeed," Leon said in a rather gruff voice, "May God rest him and keep him… Tell me Mason, since you were his right hand and all, did they ever find the guy who killed him?"

"Which half of his body?" Mason replied. The two grinned and chuckled a little, they weren't friends either, but that wasn't an excuse to be cordial. The music began to play again, this time a softer tune that was intended for a slow dance. "We could talk this over in my office if you prefer."

Leon glanced around, his grey eyes settling on each of his bodyguards that were littered around the bar area. All of them had their eyes settled on Mason. "No, I'm comfortable here. At least in the public I don't have to worry about you trying anything…"

"I can't believe you're actually angry about that Leon." Mason said without emotion, "Enric and the others owed me their businesses."

"But did you have to kill Enric?"

"What can I say?" Mason said with a shrug, "The man offended me."

"I'm just saying," Leon continued, "after what you did to Enric and you outlawing the other major slave traders, it's got me and my people nervous."

"You have no reason to be nervous." Mason reassured, he could sense something in Leon's voice, and he wasn't winning the guy over that much was for sure. "I've pushed out the other slavers giving you a virtual monopoly on the trade in this part of the world, I've raise profits in this area since I've taken over and you get a larger cut. I see no reason for any mistrust to exist between you and I, Leon."

"Profits and losses aren't what I worry over." Leon said as he stirred the ice around in his glass of water, and then continued in a rather cryptic tone. "Yes, you are an exceptional business man Mason. But, in the end, it is damnation that worries me."

"One only worries about damnation when they have sinned Leon." Mason replied in an equally cryptic manner. "Have sinned in any way that I should worry about?" Mason did his best not to sound threatening in that way but he was quickly catching on to the true nature of this meeting. This had nothing to do with profits; this was about one man's paranoia.

Of course, with Mason's track record of killing any criminal who indulged himself in an activity he disliked, maybe the man had a good reason for being paranoid.

"I have spoken with the other bosses." Leon said, Leon may not have ruled over all of the Russian Mafia but he was well listened to by the other influential bosses. "I'm not the only one who is worried about your intentions in regards to our businesses."

"The other bosses know me quite well Leon." Mason said, "And they all know that I would never wish them harm, and even if I did, I would never act upon that wish. Too bad you can't see that."

"It's just…" Leon said, finally turning his head and looking into Mason's eyes. The two held each other's gaze, neither realized how dangerous the other was until that moment. For, in that moment, it was as if two wild beasts were snarling at each other over a carcass for food. "After Ramon, it has become increasingly obvious that when you don't like someone or how they run things they have nasty habit of dying in some horrible way. I don't want to end up like that."

There was more force in his tone when he said that last part. It was clear to Mason, although Leon was talking in a civil manner, in a Monster's language Mason could tell that Leon was threatening him in a very subtle manner.

"I don't care about how you run your business Leon." Mason said, attempting to hide any growing annoyance in his voice, "Just leave me be, and we wont have any trouble."

"And if I don't?" Leon asked, his intentions all too clear now.

"I guess we have business then."

A silence followed as the two men stared each other down. If Mason was stupid he would have pulled out his knife and disemboweled the gangster where he sat. But he restrained himself, killing Leon here and now was the last thing he wanted.

Leon finally broke away from the stare down as he glanced at his watch, "I should be getting back now." He stood up and extended his hand to Mason, "No hard feelings Mason? I really do hope that our business relationship can continue."

Mason, with his icy eyes still upon Leon, took the man's hand and shook it. "No hard feelings. I'll make sure you still get your cut of things."

And with one last hidden gleam from his monster eyes, Leon turned and left from the bar and signaled for his various bodyguards to follow. There must have been half a dozen.

The General slowly approached with a rather disappointed look on his face, like a kid who didn't get a toy he asked for on Christmas. "I was hoping one of them would pull his gun. But now it looks like you and the Russians are on your way to peace."

"Is that what you heard?" Mason asked, "Because here's what the cocksucker really said, 'no matter what it takes I'm going to kill you before you can try to kill me.' That is what I heard."

"Leon Krylov, the big bad Russian gangster is afraid of you?"

"Maybe," Mason replied, "either that or he's jealous. Either way, he doesn't want me taking away any business from him so he's going to try to kill me in at least a week from now."

"Then we should strike at him and his businesses tomorrow, the best defense is a good offense." The General advised.

"As much as I'd love killing that bastard nice and quickly so I could get on with things, Ulysses. I can't, if I strike first then the other bosses of the Russian Mafia will see me as an invading threat and unify…"

"But if he strikes first then it makes him look like the bad guy and the other mob bosses don't feel the need to get involved. Interesting strategy, you sit and wait to get killed then _if_ you survive you strike back."

"Not _if_… will." Mason corrected, "And when I do, I'm going to need a man like you Ulysses to oversee the fighting against the Russians."

"And what will you do?" The General asked, might as well learn as much as he can about Mason strategy now.

"Divide and conquer." Mason said with a smile on his face, "While you drive a hammer into Leon's teeth, I'll be finding more and more ways to turn the other mob bosses against Leon. The more enemies Leon has the better."

"What about troops?" The General asked, "Leon will have you out gunned if you go to war with him."

"Remind me Ulysses," Mason said as he ordered a scotch for himself, "at the Battle of Pharsalus, how many men were for Julius Caesar and Pompey?"

"Twenty-two thousand for Julius Caesar and sixty thousand for Pompey at the battle." The General said accurately.

"And yet, despite being outnumbered by a force double his size, Julius Caesar still one, because of a combination of strategy and seasoned troops. I will use my contacts in the old Red Army to find out if there are any Russian Army veterans who are willing to joins us, the people here may hate me but they despise Leon and his ilk and will be more than willing to take a swing at him and his kind."

"And I'll take care of the strategies for you." The General surmised, "But I expect payment of course."

"Of course." Mason said, "By the way, how are your connections in the super villain community?"

The General shrugged, "Why?"

"Word is going to get out about this." Mason said, "When it does, the Russians will be the least of my worries. I'll have the CIA and worse, the Teen Titans on my trail. They'll be a bigger problem and I can't afford to fight a war on two fronts. I'll need some people who've handled them before, some people with experience fighting the Titans while you and I handle the Russians. Then when this whole vile task is over I'll simply disappear."

The General nodded, he could see how Mason could have a problem with the Titans. The Russians were bad enough, the CIA was a hell of a lot worse, but the Titans too? Might as well put a bullet in his own head and save them the trouble.

"I'll ask a few friends." He said.

"Good." Mason replied as he downed the scotch, "And Ulysses?"

"Yes Mason?"

"Good to see you again soldier."

The General turned and left without saying anything else, he had to make a few phone calls and rally the troops. Leaving Mason alone again, oh well he didn't mind being alone that much.

"One vile fucking task after another." Mason groaned, "I swear to God."

A war was coming. This was going to be fun.

* * *

Review soon! I'll be putting some stuff up on so don't fret if I don't update according to my usual schedule. Next chapter, Titans and Unit Zero have a rude awakening from their days of peaceful vacation when they learn of a coming war between Mason and the Russians. See ya soon! 


	6. Some Help

Here we are, sorry it took me a while but my start on FictionPress has kept me busy. Sorry about the last chapter but I just felt morally compelled to do it, a feet that is not easily achieved. And yes anonymous, if Mason ever mourned someone like the Joker it would be for his image. In fact, the two would probably try to cut out the others throats if they ever met (that's not a bad idea when you think about it). Anyway, enjoy.

* * *

John slowly stirred from his peaceful sleep and felt a slight head ache from the whiskey he drank from last night. Thank fully it was only a light annoyance instead of the brick breaking throbbing that Dan or Beast Boy were most likely feeling right about now. He ran his fingers through his hair and was about to jump out of his bed when he felt something stir next to him.

He glanced down to see his dearest Raven, still asleep and enjoying what looked like a very good dream. John smiled and slowly rose up from the mattress, careful not to wake his love. He gently picked up some more of the thin sheets and slowly placed them over her to keep her warm.

"Sleep well my dear." He whispered down to her lithe sleeping form.

He removed his jacket, socks, ad t-shirt in a way to change without making a noise and picked up some clothes as he gently opened up the sliding door to his room that led into the hallway and slipped out. He kept his eye at the ever closing space between the wall and the door as he gently closed it and was happy to see that not once did Raven stir.

He exhaled a breath in victory and slipped on the new clean red long sleeve shirt. He turned on his heel and was about to unravel his clean pair of socks when he almost jumped up in the air at who was now standing before him with a grin on his face.

"Jesus, Dan you scared the Hell out of me!" John said quietly, just in case Raven could still hear him.

"Don't want to wake up the lady do ya?" Dan said with a grin despite the head ache he had. This moment was going to make up for his cranial torment, by replacing it with a healthy dose of John's embarrassment.

"What? How?" John paused as he eyed his friend in an odd and curious manner, "How long have you been standing there?"

Dan shrugged and a grin slowly began to crawl across his face as he said, "Long enough to see a certain black birdy happily nested on your mattress."

John froze as he began to see things the way Dan had chosen to see them. John's cheeks slowly began to redden as he stuttered out, "No… I mean… It's not how it looks damn it… I… Uh…"

"Yeah, she just happened to sleep with you." Dan said.

"Yeah, actually, we slept together." John said innocently.

"Wow." Dan said, he didn't expect John to admit it that easily, "Nicely done."

"No. Damn it." John hissed, "I mean… She helped me back to my room after you got me to drink those damn shots and I fell asleep and so did she… That's it, nothing sinister, I promise."

"Sure." Dan said as he dragged out the 'U' in that one word and gave him a suggestive wink.

"You son of a bitch." John muttered under his teeth as he seethed.

"Oh relax about it boss." Dan said, finally letting up on John. "You say it's innocent then I'll believe you… But that doesn't mean I can't fuck with your head from time to time."

John, instead of relaxing as Dan said, grabbed his old friend and put him in a playful headlock. John occasionally yanked Dan's head as he asked him, "Are you going to say anything to anyone about this?"

"No." Dan said as he tried to get out.

"Are you sorry?"

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry!" Dan almost shouted.

Content John let Dan go and smiled a little, glad to have felt the always cheerful sensation of making Dan apologize by force.

Dan was thinking of ways to hit John back when he suddenly remembered something, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The bosses back in D.C. called up while you were getting your beauty sleep with your dearly beloved…"

"Quit it with the jokes and tell me what it is those bloodsuckers want." John asked in an annoyed tone, still unhappy since they wasted both their time with that hostage situation.

"Well," Dan continued, "it seems were needed to handle an underworld feud that has broken out with the Russian Mafia."

"Russian Mafia?" John repeated, that was a change from their regular choice of enemies. "Why are we being assigned to the Russian Mob, we don't even cover that part of the world."

"Well you know how I mentioned a feud? Well guess who's leading the charge against the Russians in the underworld?"

John immediately became pale as he felt a slight burning sensation in the scar in his left shoulder, "Oh no… Don't tell me it's…"

"Yep, I'm afraid so." Dan said, "Mason Thorn is supposedly going to war against the Russians soon. And, get this, the man's recruiting a rather unique kind of soldiers for this war."

"Who?"

"Super villains, man."

John's brow furrowed, _so much for my vacation_.

"Wait till the Titans wake up, then we'll let them know." John said after he thought things through, "We're really going to need them for this one…"

* * *

They had all gathered there in the center of the club, no closed down due to the fact that this gathering was taking place during the middle of the day. There were only a few of them, and all had answered the call given by someone who was quite notorious on his own in the underworld: The General.

But it was becoming increasingly more and more obvious that The General wasn't working for himself, he was only a messenger and a strong right hand for someone else, someone who needed their combined expertise.

They all only knew a single name: The Salesman.

Only the most notorious and worthy criminals knew who the Salesman was. It was rumored that a few heroes and the CIA knew who he was but they never released that. He was a thing of nightmares and, to be honest, the super villains who now waited next to the bar of the club were a combination of anxious and nervous.

"So," asked one of the villains, a young woman with long black hair that reached down to the small of her back and who dressed quite similarly to Starfire but in black and silver, "Who is this 'Salesman' anyway?"

Her name was Blackfire, and usually she was above working for earthling criminals, but this one intrigued her, mostly because she knew so little about him.

"I can't believe you haven't heard of _him_." Said a skull masked young man through a voice synthesizer. "The Salesmen. Everyone's heard of him."

"Heard rumors, Red X, not facts." Corrected another super villain as he addressed the man with the synthesizer, Red X; the notorious thief. The man who had corrected X was wearing an all red tactical outfit with a silver mask and a single glowing red eye where his right eye should have been. "To be honest, not that many people know that much about him."

"I heard one of those rumors." Blackfire said with a sly little grin as she spoke the tale to the mercenary who spoke before, Deadshot, "That he gets to know criminals, just to kill them when they offend him."

"Offend him?" Asked another villain who was dressed in a black suit with silver armor over it with what appeared to be light bulbs poking out from place to place and a go-tee on chin. "Just what do you mean 'Offend him'?"

"Well Dr. Light," Red X said as he leaned his back against the wall, "I heard he abducted a guy and disembowled him, just for looking at him wrong…"

"I heard it was because the guy made fun of The Salesman's mother." Deadshot said, interrupting X. "He did something similar to another guy, I hear. Cut out his tounge when he called the Salesman something."

"Cut out his tongue?" Dr. Light echoed, a tinge of fear creeping into his voice.

Blackfire looked unimpressed.

"Oh yeah." Deadshot replied, "And that guy got off easy! Supposedly he tortures people, a lot of people. You betray him or make an enemy of him, and then he abducts you and cuts you to pieces. Bit by bit, all while you're still conscious."

Now Blackfire looked impressed.

"Hey Light," Deadshot said to Dr. Light, "Do you think that one rumor is true?"

"Which?"

"You know, the one about him having a soft spot for kids. Word is he butchered that narco-terrorist in Colombia because he was using kids to do his dirty work. Made it nice and slow like too."

"Nah, that's probably just a rumor."

"I heard he doesn't take sides accept his own." Red X said in his own approving way. "For instance, he sold weapons to two warring African warlords when they turned against each other, just for kicks…"

"That doesn't mean he doesn't take sides though." Blackfire said as she took a seat at one of the stools.

"Really?" Red X's metallic voice purred, "Then tells me sweet heart, how am I wrong?"

"Maybe he does take sides now and then." She explained slowly, "He just sold to both of those guys because, maybe…"

"'Maybe' what?" Dr. Light asked as he sat on the edge of his seat at one of the tables, anxious to hear more about his future employer. "What do you think?"

"Maybe…" she said but trailed off as he eyes became glued to the top of the staircase that led to the upstairs office.

"'Maybe'… I wanted both sides to lose." A cold and scratchy voice said from the top of the stairs. All eyes turned to see who spoke, and immediately everyone stood up as they all finally laid eyes on the infamous Salesman with their own eyes.

Mason laughed in his throat as he saw their expressions, except for the masked Red X and Deadshot of course. He slowly made his way down the staircase, each step he took calculated and deliberate, meant to send a certain vibe.

A vibe that said, 'This is my club, and this is my world... And you're just renting space in it.'

"Wars are so fun sometimes," Mason said as he grinned his monster's ivory teeth, "especially when you're the only one who gets to walk away with money in their pockets." His cold eyes scanned them, so far the only one who seemed to flinch at his presence was Dr. Light, other wise they seemed calm and collected. "Unfortunately, being the one who fights the war… _That_ tends to be a little messy."

"Yeah, we're familiar with the Russians and their problem with you." Red X said calmly, "If you want us to fight your battles for you then forget it. I'm a thief, not a murderer."

"I can respect that." Mason replied as he looked into X's masked eyes.

"And I hardly see how I'm needed to help with a petty mob war." Blackfire also added.

"I can respect that too my dear." Mason said as he switched his gaze to her, then he turned as he spoke to the entire group. "But, you see, I don't need your help with the Russians. No, I can handle them by myself. The real problem, and the real reason you are all here, is that we all share a common enemy that you all except for Deadshot here have experience against… The Teen Titans."

A silence fell over the room, some of the criminals present in the room shifted a little in discomfort but did nothing else. No signs of disagreement nor fear, just silence and stares.

"I can handle the Russians and maybe even the CIA if I have too." Mason continued, "But the Titans are another story, if they come after me I'm finished. So that's why I called this little emergency meeting with help from my young associate The General, I need people like you to keep the Titans off my trail while I finish up this war with the Russians. Once it's over I'll reward you all and simply disappear."

"These guys have a history with the Titans, but I don't." Deadshot pointed out, "So why did you contact me?"

"You?" Mason repeated as he turned his attention to the red eyed mercenary, "I contacted you because you've gone up against the Justice League before. Unsuccessfully, but no one's perfect right? Besides that you're a greedy and self centered man who won't do anything unless he's being paid…" Mason paused as he weighed that last part, "I can rely on someone like that."

"Unless I get paid by the Russians to spy on you."

"I doubt that."

"Why?"

"Because you're a smart man, and you know that I'll double whatever they pay you… And if that doesn't work then I'll just kill you in your sleep and find someone else."

The two locked eyes for a moment to see if there was any danger emitting from the other, almost as if to see if there were any disfigurements into the others soul. Finally Deadshot nodded in agreement.

"Us against the Titans." Red X said as if to weight the words and find their worth. "That kind of help won't come cheap."

"Yes, I had a feeling that a thief with a xenothium suit and a warrior alien princess wouldn't come cheap." Mason said. Dr. Light was about to object to not being mentioned but Mason passed him without notice and spoke too quickly for Light to interrupt. "So how does this sound? Ten million US when the war is over and I don't need you anymore, and an extra twenty percent of that if you prove yourself to be as valuable as everyone says you are."

"I've no use for your Earth money…" Blackfire said in an almost bored tone.

"If you want I can also pay you in rough uncut diamonds from conflict zones."

"Alright," Blackfire said brightening up due to the universal value of diamonds, "I'm in."

Mason smiled. "So, any objections?"

Silence.

"Good, let's get started."

* * *

Review. Oh and if there are any kinds of criminals you think should recieve some vigilante justice let me know, I might incorporate those ideas into either this story or others. Thanks. 


End file.
